Friday, February 20, 2015

Huge collection of ore deposit samples gathering dust

In January 2002, the University
of Arizona’s Dept. of Geosciences (UA) acquired the Waldemar Lindgren Ore
Collection from Harvard University. The Arizona Geological Society (not the Survey) and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society
played a pivotal role by jointly providing ~$25,000 for curating and transport
of the collection to Tucson.

For 12 years the collection has
been secure in a shed off campus in Tucson. The Lindgren Ore Collection – at a
glance:

Many samples have much more specific locality and
specimen descriptions written on labels in the bottom of individual trays [bottom right, photo credit, Mike Conway, AZGS]

It was originally thought that the collection included Lindgren's premier specimens from seminal investigations at the Morenci mine and others. But initial examination of the boxes when they first arrived found mostly surface grab samples and little of significance. UA professors have not used the collection for teaching and research as originally anticipated.

So, the question is, should something be done with the collection or just let it sit in storage? The Arizona Geological Society last night established a small committee to consider options and make recommendations. One possibility is to open, inventory, photograph, and inventory every specimen and then evaluate the collection's usefulness. The committee will report back in May.